New puter trying to install Windows XP - ntkrnlmp.exe

Hi All, I have searched the forums and found 3 topics that match but none that match exactly. I have also googled and found various answers and none seem to be working. When I try to install Windows XP on the machine I receive a ntkrnlmp.exe not found error - this happens usually during the "kernel dll" stuff - there are other errors at times, but this is the one that shows up most often. Sometimes I get to the point where the Windows XP install is copy files over to the hard drive and it tells me that certain cannot be copied over. I will tell it to bypass and then more and more files cannot be found…. This is a brand new computer build, here is a (main) hardware list: motherboard: ASUS P5N-E processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 ram: Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) hard drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3250410AS 250GB video: XFX PVT84JUDD3 GeForce 8600GT Some things I have tried to fix: 1. Use only one stick of RAM in case one is bad and/or try different slots on the board. 2. Change the voltage setting for the RAM in the BIOS to factory suggested instead of auto. 3. Try a different SATA cable on DVD ROM and hard drive. You help is appreciated, cranium

Whenever I see new build and I don't know the user, I have to ask two things - are you 200% certain you only used standoffs in the case where there is a corresponding motherboard mounting hole? And did you use TIM - thermal interface material - between the CPU and the heatsink fan assembly. Is this a new hard drive too? Did you format the HD first? During the XP install process, you were prompted to hit F6 to install 3rd party controllers - did you say yes? And did you then insert the disk when prompted? (This is where floppy disks still shine).

Whenever I see new build and I don't know the user, I have to ask two things - are you 200% certain you only used standoffs in the case where there is a corresponding motherboard mounting hole? And did you use TIM - thermal interface material - between the CPU and the heatsink fan assembly.

I am a new user, but have been building and maintaining pcs for a long time, so I have some experience. Yes, I did use thermal paste and have a huge heat/sink fan that keeps the processor around 32C.

Is this a new hard drive too? Did you format the HD first? During the XP install process, you were prompted to hit F6 to install 3rd party controllers - did you say yes? And did you then insert the disk when prompted? (This is where floppy disks still shine).

New hard drive that I told the XP install disc to format with NTFS. I have the system booting off the CD. Not familiar, off the top of my head (at work), with needing a floppy for installing XP. Never have in the past.

Question: Is the CD you are installing with a real, hologrammed CD or is it a copy? Not accusing you of anything, just want to know as copies often have the kind of problems you are encountering.

To eliminate the CD a source of error, you could copy the I386 directory and sub-directories to your hard drive then install from there. See this MS article for info: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?…kb;en-us;315349

It is a real deal. I have had a real XP cd carp** out on me recently, but this is a new cd so I didn't think that it would be screwed from the beginning. Maybe it is as I installed a version of Windows 2000 Pro on it last night w/out any problems. I hope I can exchange the XP cd somehow (good luck w/ that). I will take a look at the link you sent and see what I can do w/ that before I buy another cd. Thank you for your time and help, cranium

You're welcome. Please post back on how you make out. The key will be if you can copy (xcopy actually) the entire I386 directory tree from your CD to your hard drive without error.

I'm new here but have installed XP on many computers and I have found in the past that when I have the problem you are talking about. It is in CD rom not having abitity to read the the cd. Try a different CD player. This works for me.